NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR AG RELATIONS COUNCIL'S HALL OF FAMEJan. 8, 2014Source: Agricultural Public Relations Council news release

Nominations are due March 15 for the Agricultural Public Relations Hall of Fame, an award program honoring agricultural public relations professionals who have made lifetime contributions to the industry.

The program, sponsored by the Agricultural Relations Council and Agri Marketing magazine, will recognize its third group of recipients at the June 2014 ARC annual meeting in Madison, Wis.

Previous winners have been:

• Don Lerch• Lyle Orwig• John Harvey• Paul Weller

Nominees must be current or past members of ARC to be considered. Inductees will be selected based on criteria including:

• Years of membership in ARC;• Service to ARC (president, board member, committee chair, etc.);• Professional accomplishments/achievements in ag communications; and• Awards/Recognition in service to ag communications within ARC and also outside of the organization.

"We had a tremendous response to our Hall of Fame award program and another stellar class of honorees will be inducted in Madison next June," said ARC Board President Mike Opperman. "This is the single-best opportunity for the industry to recognize the professionals who've shaped agricultural public relations."

For 2014, up to two inductees will be chosen. Nominations will be reviewed and chosen by a committee of ARC members.

"We hope all members of the agricultural communications community will consider nominating a deserving individual," said ARC Hall of Fame committee chair Deron Johnson, of Zoetis. "Recognition of this type not only honors the individual, but validates all of the professionals who work in agricultural public relations every day."